Method and system for defining construction fence polygons

A computer-implemented method performed by a perception system of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

• identifying at least two construction markers on a road surface based upon analysis of sensor data from a plurality of sensors;
• based upon the identification of at least two construction markers, determining a starting point of a construction zone;
• forming rows of connected construction markers by:
• for each construction marker identified past the starting point in the construction zone,
• determining a corresponding leading construction marker;
• and
• connecting each construction marker with the corresponding leading construction marker;
• inserting each construction marker and a respective connection with the corresponding leading construction marker into a graph or a map;
• based upon each construction marker and the respective connection inserted into the graph or the map, updating a drivable surface and a reference path positioned between neighboring rows of the connected construction markers;
• and
• upon not detecting a new construction marker past the starting point in the construction zone, determining an ending point of the construction zone,
• wherein an autonomy computing system of the autonomous vehicle is configured to control operation of the autonomous vehicle, based on the drivable surface and the reference path.

An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of sensors including one or more image sensors, one or more light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, or one or more radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensors;
• and
• at least one processor configured to execute instructions stored in at least one memory to perform operations comprising:
• identifying at least two construction markers on a road surface based upon analysis of sensor data from the plurality of sensors;
• based upon the identification of at least two construction markers, determining a starting point of a construction zone;
• forming rows of connected construction markers by:
• for each construction marker identified past the starting point in the construction zone,
• determining a corresponding leading construction marker;
• and
• connecting each construction marker with the corresponding leading construction marker;
• inserting each construction marker and a respective connection with the corresponding leading construction marker into a graph or a map;
• based upon each construction marker and the respective connection inserted into the graph or the map, updating a drivable surface and a reference path positioned between neighboring rows of the connected construction markers;
• and
• upon not detecting a new construction marker past the starting point in the construction zone, determining the construction zone has ended,
• wherein an autonomy computing system of the autonomous vehicle is configured to control operation of the autonomous vehicle, based on the drivable surface and the reference path.